Roofing element



Jan. 29, 1935. KIRSCHBRAUN r L 1,989,554

ROOFING ELEMENT Filed May 20, 1951 WW as Patented Jan. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROOFING ELEMENT Application May 20, 1931, Serial No. 538,772 In Canada July 29, 1926 3 Claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Serial No. 320,682 filed November 20, 1928 (Patent No. 1,807,918), which, in turn, was divided from our application Serial No. 48,840 filed August 7, 1925, (Patent No.

The invention relates to asphalt shingles adapted to be laid with others of similar construction in overlapping courses and serving as protecting or covering elements for the roof or side wall of a building. Such shingles usually comprise a fibrous base or foundation saturated with asphalt or equivalent waterproofing material, coated on one or both faces with an adhesive layer of asphalt. In the coating on the upper face of the shingle is partially embedded a surface layer of crushed slate, stone, granite or like material having ornamental, wear-resisting and fireproofing characteristics.

Since such shingles are of thin construction they present a monotonous or flat appearancewhen laid on a roof in overlapping courses. Moreover, because of the inherent flexibility of such shingles, they are some times subject to curling, and their butt edges are liable to be raised by the wind, allowing rain to beat in under them so that the appearance and waterproofing qualities of the roof covering are impaired. Hence, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an asphalt or prepared shingle of a thick butt end construction which will impart an appearance of substantial solidity or thickness to a roof or other exposed surface when laid, and which will not be raised by the action of the elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a roofing element of a type which will promote accurate laying of the same on a roof so that unskilled labor can be employed.

A roofing element embodying the present in- 40 vention is of stepped or variable thickness construction, the butt end portion being of the greatest thickness, and the upper end portion of least thickness. Between these areas of greatest and least thickness, there are one or more interme- 45 diate areas of intermediate thickness, some of these areas of differing thickness being defined by pronounced shoulders. According to the invention a roofing element such as a single shingle or a so-called strip shingle comprises a base layer of suitable felt saturated with a water-repellent compound such as certain kinds of asphalt, pitch or the like. The upper face of the saturated unit is coated with a layer of waterproofing material such as blown or oxidized asphalt which, by reason of its tough and rubbery composition, as well as'its relatively high melting point, forms an effective waterproofing layer, covering the entire upper face of the roofing element. A layer of grit is embedded in this coating while the latter is still hot and sticky. 6 Upon this layer of oxidized asphalt with grit embedded therein, a series of additional layers are imposed, each successive layer extending from the butt edge of the shingle to a height less than that of the underlying layer. Thus the shingle is 10 thickest over an area adjacent to the butt edge, the thinnest portion of the shingle being over an area adjacent to the head or top edge. Between these areas of maximum and minimum thickness, there may be one or more intermediate. areas 15 forming successive steps and separated by distinct shoulders.

For a more complete understanding of the invention reference may be had to the disclosure thereof in the description which follows and on 20 the drawing, of which,

Figure 1 shows in perspective a shingle embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a strip shingle 25 embodying the invention. I

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a roof showing how the elements illustrated in Figures 1 or 3 may be laid.

The formation of a roofing element embodying 30 the invention is best illustrated in Figure 2 which shows a saturated sheet 10 of roofing felt or similar material on which a layer 11 of oxidized asphalt or equivalent waterproofing material extends over the entire upper face. Partially embedded in the layer 11 is a layer 12 of grit or other suitable granular material. A second layer 13 of asphalt or the like is deposited over the layers 11 and 12, this layer 13 extending from the butt edge 14 of the roofing element part of the distance to the head of the shingle, leaving a portion of the layer 12 of grit exposed. A second grit layer 15 'is partially embedded in the layer 13 and is substantially coextensive therewith.

A third layer 16 of waterproofing material is deposited on the layer 15, the layer 16 extending from the butt edge 14 of the roofing element a lesser distance toward the head of the shingle than the layers 13 and 15. A surface layer 17 of grit is partially embedded in the layer 16. Thus the area covered by the layer 17, adjacent to the butt edge 14 of the shingle, represents the portion of greatest thickness. The area representedby the exposed portion of the layer 12, adjacent to the head of the shingle, represents -tion of intermediate thickness.

the portion of least thickness. As shown in Figure 2, there may be an intermediate area between these two portions which represents a por- By the application of a larger number of successively shorter layers, however, there may be two or more pertions of graded intermediate thickness between the portion of greatest thickness and that of least thickness.

Between the portion of greatest thickness, represented by the layer 17, and the adjacent portion of intermediate thickness, there may be'a well defined shoulder 18 which, as indicated in Figures 1 and 3, may extend parallel to the butt edge 14. In the case of strip shingles such as are illustrated in Figure 3, this shoulder 18 may be approximately in line with the upper ends of the slots 20 which define shingle-simulating tabs 21 along the lower portion of the strip shingle. The figure shows the shoulder 18 as located slightly above the up per ends of the slots 20. The shoulder 18 may serve as a definite guide or abutment to receive the butt edges 14 of the roofing elements in the course next above when the shingles are laid upon a roof. Thus each course may be easily and accurately located without requiring the exercise of the judgment and care required for correct visual aligning with reference marks. As shown in Figure 4, the butt edges 14 of each course of shingles may be set directly against the shoulder 18 of the course below so that the correct laying of the roofing elements is practically assured. The provision of at least three layers of coating asphalt and grit, such as are illustrated in Figure 2, ensures a butt edge 14 of sufflcient thickness to present a substantial appearance even when a portion of the butt edge is hidden by the shoulder 18. Thus the roofing element herein described provides not only for definitely correct laying even by unskilled labor, but also doesso without losing the substantial appearance which results from relatively thick exposed butt edges.

We claim:

l. A strip shingle having slots forming tab defining elements, said slots extending upwardly from the butt edge toward the head thereof, a plurality of coatings of asphaltic material of different widths on the upper face of said strip shingle, extending from said butt edge toward said head thereof, and a layer of grit partially embedded in each of said coatings, the undermost of said coatings and said layer of grit thereon covering substantially the entire upper face of said strip shingle and the outermost of said coatings and the gritted layer thereon overlying a portion only of said first named coating and the gritted layer thereof and extending from said butt edge to a position above the terminals of said slots and terminating at said position, said slotted strip shingle being severed to shape from a web comprising said asphaltic coatings and saidlayers of grit.

2. A strip shingle having slots forming tab defining elements, said slots extending upwardly from the butt edgetoward the head thereof, a plurality of coatings of asphaltic material of different widths on the upper face of said strip shingle, extending from said butt edge toward said head thereof, and a layer of grit partially embedded in each of said coatings, the undermost of said coatings and said layer of grit thereon covering substantially the entire upper face of said strip shingle, an intermediate coating, and a layer of grit thereon narrower than said first named coating and extending from the butt edge towards the head thereof, and an outermost asphaltic coating and gritted layer thereon overlying a portion only of said intermediate coating and the gritted layer thereon and extending from said butt edge to a position slightly above the terminals of said slots and terminating at said position, said slotted strip shingle being severed to shape from a web comprising said asphaltic coatings and said layers of grit.

3. A roof comprising successive overlapping courses of shingle strips, each of said strips comprising a base of flexible fibrous material, having slots forming tab-defining elements, and a plurality of coatings of asphaltic material of different widths on the upper face of each of said strips, extending from the butt edge toward the head thereof, and a layer of grit partially embedded in each of said coatings, the undermost of said coatings and said layer of grit thereon covering substantially the entire upper face of each of said shingle strips, the next succeeding coating and the gritted layer thereon overlying a portion only of said first named coating and the gritted layer thereofand extending from said butt edge to a position above the upper ends of said slots, the strips of the successive courses being laid with the butt portions thereof overlapping the upper end of said last named coating of the strips of the preceding course, said strips being severed to shape from a web comprising said asphaltic coatings and said layers of grit.

LESTER IHRSCHBRAUN. OTTO A. HEPPES. 

